2012 Lake Huron Cooperative Science & Monitoring Initiative

Jul 9: During July and September, scientists on board a half dozen research vessels will crisscross Thunder Bay, Saginaw Bay, and the open waters of Lake Huron, collecting samples of sediment, water, mussels, microscopic organisms, and fish. The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) is joining an international effort to study invasive species, water quality, fisheries and climate change. Much of the research is taking place in the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

    GLERL is partnering with several Federal, state, and provincial agencies in the 2012 Lake Huron Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, a joint U.S.-Canadian program, led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Great Lakes National Program Office and Environment Canada. The initiative examines one Great Lake per year on a rotating basis and supports the goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, signed in 1972 by the United States and Canada, in which each country commits to protecting the Great Lakes.  

 

    Research cruises began in April and will continue through September. Researchers are using an impressive fleet of research vessels, including EPA's 180-foot Lake Guardian, GLERL's 80-foot Laurentian and 50-foot Storm, and two large U.S. Geological Survey research vessels, the Sturgeon and Grayling. Sampling missions will also be conducted aboard Environment Canada's Limnos across Lake Huron.

 

    Access a release from NOAA with more details, and multiple links to related information including the project website (click here).

 

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Notice: July 4, 2012

Subscribers & Readers Note:

WIMS will not be publishing today,

July 4, 2012. We'll be back on July  5.

Be safe, stay cool, and

enjoy your July 4th holiday.

Stop Invasive Species Act On Its Way To President's Desk

Jun 29: Bipartisan legislation to stop Asian carp from destroying the Great Lakes' ecosystem passed both houses of Congress today and is now poised to become law. The Stop Invasive Species Act (S.2317 & H.R.4406) [See WIMS 4/23/12], written by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representative Dave Camp (R-MI) and supported by Members of Congress in both parties, would require the expedited creation of a plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through a number of rivers and tributaries across the Great Lakes region. The bill was included as part of comprehensive, bipartisan transportation legislation.

    Senator Stabenow said, "Michigan needs action now to stop Asian carp and other invasive species from devastating our Great Lakes and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that depend on them. Temporary fixes have proven inadequate and this dangerous invasive species is now on the Great Lakes' doorstep. Congress must pass this bill to require quick action on a permanent solution to stop Asian carp." Representative Camp said, "It's a great day for the Great Lakes. We're finally moving toward an actionable plan to permanently prevent Asian carp from destroying the Great Lakes and the $7 billion fishing industry and 800,000 jobs they support. Before, we've had temporary fixes; this legislation puts us on the path towards a lasting solution."

    The Stop Invasive Species Act requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to submit to Congress an expedited action plan with options for stopping Asian carp from penetrating the Great Lakes across 18 possible points of entry. The bill requires the Army Corps to submit a progress report to Congress and the President within 90 days of the law's enactment. The full plan would need to be completed within 18 months, meaning the Corps would have to complete its work sometime in 2013.

    After Stabenow and Camp introduced their legislation, the Army Corps voluntarily said they would expedite the creation of a plan for permanent solutions for stopping Asian carp [See WIMS 5/8/12]. While that announcement was welcome news, the Corps' plan would not present fully completed solutions, and it would focus primarily on the Chicago Waterway System, rather than all of the carp's 18 possible points of entry. The Stop Invasive Species Act requires a completed plan, with proposed solutions for all 18 possible entry ways.  The plan would include proposals for engineering and infrastructure projects to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes while still allowing shipping transportation across these waterways to continue.

    Access a release from Sen. Stabenow and Rep. Camp that includes comments from other Great Lakes legislators (click here). Access legislative details for S.2317 (click here); and H.R.4406 (click here).

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Nominations Wanted For Great Lakes Advisory Board

Jun 29: U.S. EPA issued a request for nomination from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as members of its Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB) [77 FR 38803]. The GLAB will provide advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator, in her capacity as Chair of the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, on matters pertaining to Great Lakes restoration and protection. Vacancies are expected to be filled by September 2012. Nominations must be postmarked by July 30, 2012.

 

    The GLAB will be composed of approximately 15 members appointed by the EPA Administrator. In selecting members, EPA will consider candidates representing or serving as liaison to a broad range of interests across the Great Lakes, that may include, but are not limited to, environmental groups, business, agricultural groups, youth groups, foundations, environmental justice groups, academia and state, local and tribal governments. Members will be appointed for two year terms and are eligible for reappointment.

 

   The GLAB will meet approximately two times a year. Additionally, members may be asked to participate in teleconference meetings. The average workload for members will be approximately 4 to 6 hours per month. We are unable to provide honoraria or compensation for service on the GLAB. However, you may receive travel and per diem allowances where appropriate and according to applicable federal travel regulations.

 

    Access the complete announcement which includes additional details on making nominations (click here).

 

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Great Lakes Mayors Declaration On Water Sustainability

Jun 28: Mayors from Québec, Ontario and the U.S., representing over fifteen million people, made a 'Declaration on Water Sustainability' and committed to common sustainable water management practices to protect  the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, the largest source of surface fresh water on earth. Also at the bi-national conference of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, five cities were recognized for their outstanding efforts in water conservation, water pollution prevention and sustainability.

    Mayor Tom Barrett, of Milwaukee and Chair of the Cities Initiative said, "Today, my fellow mayors and I made an important declaration on water sustainability to protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence through our cities' daily operations and long term investments. Together, the mayors of the Cities Initiative are making a difference in the future health and prosperity of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region and are showing leadership globally in sustainable water management."

    In support of the 'Declaration on Water Sustainability', the Cities Initiative released a report on Sustainable Municipal Water Management, with best practices from members, along with a method for evaluating and publicly reporting on progress on common actions by cities across the basin. Members will be asked to present their public reports on sustainable water management at our next annual general meeting in June 2013. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a binational coalition of 90 mayors and other local officials that works actively with Federal, state, tribal, first nation and provincial governments and other stakeholders to advance the protection, restoration and promotion of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin.

    Access a release from the Cities Initiative and link to more information on the annual general meeting, the award winners (click here). Access the complete 41-page report (click here). [#GLakes]

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NOAA Great Lakes Lab Releases New Strategic Plan

Jun 25: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) announced the release of its new Strategic Plan, "Innovative Research for the Freshwater Seas." GLERL's 2012 Strategic Plan outlines how GLERL research will advance ecological forecasting capabilities to provide Great Lakes decision-makers and resource managers with information to help anticipate and respond to ecosystem changes. This goal will be accomplished through the coordinated efforts of GLERL's three research branches, which observe the environment, study ecosystem processes and dynamics, and develop integrated physical and ecological models.

 

   GLERL's base budget of about $9.5 million is distributed across the three science themes using an annual, integrated planning process. The 2012 Strategic Plan guides internal research plans and day-to-day operations by outlining the vision, goals, and objectives of GLERL's integrated science program. The plan contains an Implementation Strategy describing the critical success factors for the execution of our Science Strategy. Critical success factors include strategic leveraging of partnerships, integrated internal project planning, and high-performing facilities, equipment, and information systems, among others. GLERL indicates it will revisit and update the science and operations milestones in this Strategic Plan every six months to track progress toward the goals.

    Access more information and to read GLERL's 2012 Strategic Plan (click here).

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Report Reviews Legal Controls For Fracking In MI & OH

Jun 21: A new legal analysis by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) finds that laws in Michigan and Ohio need to be improved to protect the region's streams, rivers, lakes, and wildlife from the risks of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." NWF said, "Energy companies use this controversial technique to extract natural gas from fine-grained shale, injecting a mix of water, chemicals, and sand into a well at high pressures to crack open the rock. The natural gas then flows out into the well and is captured aboveground. Fracking has raised significant environmental concerns, including the potential for impacts on water quality and water-dependent natural resources."

    Sara Gosman, water resources attorney for NWF's Great Lakes office and lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School said, "Our analysis shows that Michigan and Ohio are doing some things right, but the states remain vulnerable to risks associated with fracking. We urge Michigan and Ohio to strengthen their laws to protect public health, wildlife and water resources now and for generations to come."

    NWF reports that while fracking of shallow wells has occurred in Michigan for over 30 years, energy companies are just beginning to use fracking within the Great Lakes basin to extract natural gas from deep shale formations. These deep shale wells can extend more than a mile below the surface and up to two miles horizontally. Fracking of deep wells requires more water, more chemicals, and greater pressure on the well itself than fracking of shallow wells. Thus, deep wells pose more risks for water resources in the basin.

     The report -- Hydraulic Fracturing in the Great Lakes Basin: The State of Play in Michigan and Ohio -- reviews the legal framework governing the entire life cycle of fracking in both states. The report begins by examining three potential ways in which the water resources in the Great Lakes basin could be harmed by fracking: depletion of freshwater resources due to the large volumes of water needed to inject into deep wells; contamination from well production activities, including surface spills and underground leaks; and contamination from disposal of the well wastewater. For each of these three areas, the report then examines the laws that are intended to address the risks in Michigan and Ohio. The report, written by Gosman and University of Michigan Law School students, concludes that the laws address some of the risks of fracking, but that more needs to be done to fully protect the Great Lakes basin.

 

    Access a release from NWF (click here). Access the complete 39-page report which includes references and links to referenced information (click here).

 

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